BOURNEMOUTH'S only free school is still without a sponsor with just two months to go until it moves to a multi-million pounds new site at Hurn.

Parkfield School is currently under the leadership of Alex Prout, a senior director at the Ambitions Academies Trust (AAT) chain.

But the Daily Echo understands the Trust does not intend to add Parkfield to its portfolio.

AAT has a reputation for turning around failing schools and currently runs Tregonwell, Queens Park, Kings Park, Manorside, St Aldhelm's and Longspee academies in Bournemouth and Poole.

Ms Prout is a National Leader of Education - a teacher with experience of supporting schools in challenging circumstances - but is employed by AAT as its Director of Primary Education.

A spokeswoman for the Trust said AAT did not arrange to sponsor Parkfield and said Ms Prout is simply seconded to the role of interim head by the Parkfield Interim Advisory Board for six months, "because of her vast experience and National Leader in Education status".

A spokesperson for the Department for Education added: "The Regional Schools Commissioner and her team are working with Parkfield School to find a suitable sponsor and to ensure disruption to pupils is kept to a minimum."

Parkfield opened in September 2013 and immediately ran into controversy when its premises were not ready and children had to be taught at Butcher's Coppice scout camp.

Weeks later pupils moved into Dorset House, a former office block in Holdenhurst Road, and parents were told there would be a new school in Bournemouth town centre within two years.

A search for a suitable town centre site proved fruitless and, in January 2014, plans were announced to move to a former air traffic control centre at Hurn, near Bournemouth Airport.

In May 2015 Ofsted rated the school as Requires Improvement and parents discovered they could be hit with a £650 transport bill to get their children to and from Hurn.

Since then there have been numerous delays and pupils remain at Dorset House but they are due to move to Hurn after the Easter holiday. A travel plan will be in place for pupils, and parents are due to be shown around the site next week.